Stockholm Syndrome
by SerenNoir
Summary: Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. Falling in love with the enemy had never been this bitterly sweet. Maybe then, I could actually go out with a guilty conscience, after all that's what I deserve Slight AU
1. Chapter 1

**Stockholm Syndrome**

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**Author: Mask of Mirage**

**Rating: M**

**Comments: Finally, I got my hands on the copy of the movie! Then the plot bunnie hit me and it hit me hard. For a few months now I've been wanting to work on this concept of 'empathizing with your captor', commonly known as Stockholm Syndrome. Hence the title, hence the mood song, yada yada yada. And to date, there are only seven stories with this pairing so I was like, "Why not?" Enough with my insanity, now enjoy.**

**Mood Song: Stockholm Syndrome by Muse (obviously)**

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**Prologue:**

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_Stockholm syndrome: (noun) and emotional attachment to a captor formed by a hostage as a result of continuous stress, dependence, and a need to cooperate for survival_

_XxXxXxX_

_The Lifestream._

_That's what we call the river of life that circles our planet…_

…_giving life to the world and everything in it._

_The Shinra Electric Power Company discovered a way to use the Lifestream as an energy source. Because of Shinra's energy, we were able to live very comfortable lives. But wasn't that because we were taking away from the planet's life? A lot of people thought so. Shinra used their power to try and stop anybody who got in their way._

_Shinra had a special group of warriors called SOLDIER. And all of the SOLDIERs had Jenova cells put inside them. Jenova was a calamity that fell from the sky a long, long time ago …_

…_and tried to destroy the planet._

_Anyway, there was one SOLDIER named Sephiroth who was better than the rest. But when he found out about the terrible experiments that made him he began to hate Shinra. And then, over time, he began to hate everything. _

_In the end, the planet itself had to make the battles stop for good. "Sadness was the price to see it end…."_

Then there was one. One resembling those who strive for their parent's approval. One who felt so detached from the world that they only way to prove their worth was through the suffering of others. One who holds a complete stranger prisoner and one who, ultimately, finds salvation in that stranger.

But this isn't his story but of someone far more crucial to this tale. It's about the stranger who comes to realize the true meaning of,

"_Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer"._

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**Chapter One**

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I couldn't help but think if I wasn't beaten, bloody, hogtied and thrown across the big one's bike, that this situation would almost be called comical. I mean it wasn't everyday that Sephiroth's Remnants were able to knock me for a loop and kidnap me, like one of those sobbing damsels in those movies that Elena likes to watch.

I suppose I should admit, not that there was a chance in hell I would, that it was my own fault for getting too cocky before the fight. I had so underestimated that tall, pansy-looking one.

Throughout all this, I had no idea whatsoever where Rude was, whether they had got him as well or he was lying dead back in Edge.

The loud roar of the steel beast beneath my body caused a deafening split to erupt in my head along with the steady _drip-drip_ of blood from a cut above my eyebrow. Above the sound of the bike, I could hear the deep, low breathing of Loz and felt, with a sudden sense of overwhelming apprehension, the even _lub-dub_ of his heartbeat beneath his leather jacket. We just got finished having an all-out brawl and I was **still** breathing hard; was this guy even human!

The edge of the seat was cutting into my side and I desperately hoped we didn't hit any bumps as I would have gone flying off to have a sudden date with the dirt. My eyes snapped shut on reflex as a thin trail of warm, crimson liquid seeped into my eyes and I moaned slightly in pain. Above me, I felt a deep rumble of laughter escape Loz.

"Hey Yazoo, I think Red back here is getting uncomfortable. Y'think I should knock 'im out, y'know put him out of his misery?"

I felt rather than seen the other bike slow down to ride parallel to us. A long, glove-covered finger lifted my chin, forcing me to squint up at the person who had beaten me. Due to the blurry haze of my eyes, Yazoo's expression was indecipherable and I let out another low groan of pain as my head was released to fall back heavily back onto the hard metal.

"No, let him be. Kadaj will be angry if he's too out of it to respond," Yazoo replied in his usual monotone.

A wave of relief rushed through me and I closed my eyes once more, allowing the soft vibrations of the bike beneath me to lull me into that dark abyss of unconsciousness.

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**Author's Note: Anyway the whole first paragraph in italics I obviously don't own. I believe Marlene said it in the opening scene of Advent Children. This was just a story I needed to get out, to help me concentrate on _Carnal Attraction_ so, please, don't hold your breath on updates. They'll be posted when they come to me.**

**Feedback is appreciated.**

**Mask of Mirage**


	2. Chapter 2

**Stockholm Syndrome**

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**Author: Mask of Mirage**

**Rating: M**

**Comments: Sorry for the delay but I was caught up in my other story and schoolwork. You know how it goes so I really don't have to explain myself. Anyway, chapter two…here we go.**

**Mood Song: Tief in Dir by Oomph**

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**Chapter Two**

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**XxXxX**

_Stockholm syndrome: (noun) and emotional attachment to a captor formed by a hostage as a result of continuous stress, dependence, and a need to cooperate for survival_

**XxXxX**

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I blinked my eyes open painfully as I felt my head knock roughly against a uneven tile. I was aware that the first thing my eyes finally focused on was a ceiling and that, in fact, it was not the norm to be looking at said ceiling at such an angle.

I was being dragged like a too-heavy sack of potatoes by Loz, who grunted a bit, even though I wasn't heavy at all compared to him. Inwardly, I reeled in laughter. I had thought this only happened in the movies, to be dragged like this.

My back slammed sharply against an old wooden door, the peeling white paint sticking to the fabric of my shirt. Loz leered down at me and twisted the knob and I felt myself falling backwards. My legs came flying up over my head and I covered my face as I tumbled down the short flight of stairs.

I coughed into the dank smell of dirt upon reaching the bottom, raising my head up just in time to see the door shut and lock behind me, throwing the room in pitch darkness. With a groan, I allowed my head to fall back to the ground, almost relieved to actually be free albeit locked up.

Slowly, I rolled over onto my back and waited for my eyes to grow accustomed to the dark. It hurt to breathe, a sign that a few of my ribs were cracked or broken. But thankfully, the gash on my forehead had ceased bleeding and I rubbed the dried blood from my eyelashes with a grubby hand.

In my vast knowledge of old gangster movies, I had come to the conclusion that I was being held for ransom. My life in trade for the location of these three brothers' "Mother". A wave of despair washed over me for I knew Shinra was never going to negotiate, least of all for me.

I was an expendable asset for the company.

A loud crash from upstairs brought me out of my reverie and I tilted my head towards the door where a beam of light filtered from the bottom and cast a murky glow on the splintered wooden steps.

"What do you mean you got the wrong guy?! I give you two a simple task and you still manage to screw it up!" a young, masculine voice sounded.

"Calm down Kadaj, your yelling is making Loz cry." I recognize the second voice to be Yazoo and the third can only be Loz, himself.

"I'm _not_ crying!"

There's a thump and I can only assume it's this Kadaj's fist coming into rough contact with the plaster wall, as dirt from the far side of the room rains down somewhere in the dark. The door slams open suddenly and the sudden burst of light makes my eyes screw up and I moan softly in pain as this upsets the gash on my head.

The outline of a slim figure is illuminated in the doorway and I instinctively scoot backwards as it makes its way towards me. Hips that swing that fluidly can only be dangerous.

The shadow takes quick steps towards me and before I can form an articulate protest, I'm yanked up by my collar and slung against the wall, my neck snapping backwards and causing a jarring pain to skitter down my spine.

Kadaj isn't done, because I was merely hoping he was taking his previous anger in that one go, and he slides up to me, as stealthy as a panther and crouches down before me.

"Well well, you're not the one I wanted, but you'll do," he breathes in my face, lifting my chin with a gloved finger. I blink blurrily through my hazy eyes and try to form a good comeback, something Reno-worthy but my head lolls to the side against my will.

His hand comes sharply across my face and the force behind it actually knocks me to the ground. I lay there, panting heavily into the dirt, feeling blood seep onto my tongue.

"Loz! Come finish this," he yells and I hear him walk away and something heavier creak on the steps. I look up to see him smirk in the doorway seconds before Loz's giant form blocks my view and a swift kick is delivered to my gut.

I curl up into the fetal position and protect my head, on the brink of unconsciousness but yet still feeling every blow with painful clarity delivered to me. All I can think, and feel and hear is Loz's steel toed boots and the dull pounding of my blood in my ears and when the dark finally comes, minutes later, I welcome it once more with open arms.

This is truly my hell.

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When I am summoned back from the dark hours later, --although it could have been days--, Yazoo is standing, almost patiently, above me. His hands hold a glass of water and a bowl, from which steam wafts off, and a thin blanket is thrown over his left shoulder.

"Wha-What do you want?" I croak out, my throat feeling like I've swallowed barbwire.

My ribs hurt so bad and it takes a great amount of effort to pull air into my lungs. Yazoo steps forward and kneels, placing the bowls near my head. I glance up into his quiet face and realize he's not looking at me, but rather keeping his eyes trained somewhere off to my right.

It's then that I notice light has entered the previously dark and foreboding room and the source is a small window, --too high up to be of any use--, that is uncovered and open. A fresh breeze assaults my senses and I breathed in on instinct, at once emitting a pained moan when the simple action upsets my ribs.

Yazoo notices this, along with my slight wheezing, and suddenly drops down before me all the way, his knees creating a slight thud, and he lays a hand on my abdomen. Of course I flinch away, something he sees, but his hands are surprisingly gentle as they move over my sides.

"Kadaj can lose his temper easily and it's everyone else around him that feels its repercussions."

It's the first thing he's said since I woke up and his voice is deep and sultry with an emotion I can't describe.

"Che, don't stick up for that bastard." I wanted to add, 'You're no better than he is,' but decided against it; Yazoo was actually being civil towards me.

"He's my brother; I have to stick up for him," he replies, his eyes dropping down to my chest.

There's a tension in the way he said it and for a split second I received the impression that there was some unsolved mental trauma between the three brothers, something that happened to Yazoo and he can't bring himself to fully forgive.

Yazoo stands up, his curtain of silver hair sweeping along his arms, and tosses the blanket down next to me. "I'll be back later with some bandages and pain medication," he murmurs, heading for the stairs.

"Why are you doing this?" I yell out, trying to get a straight answer before he leaves. He pauses on the stairwell and I can see his knuckles clench around the metal bar.

"Because this isn't right."

The slam of the door echoes around in my skull, pounding against my temple and causing my headache to split once more. Slowly, with effort, I prop myself up against the wall and grab the warm bowl next to me. The soup is a little bland and the vegetables aren't fresh but nonetheless it's hot and good and I appreciate it.

I can hear them walking around above me and it slowly drives me crazy, not knowing what they're doing or what they're planning. The breeze through the window is coming in strong and I pull the blanket up over my lap.

A sharp tweet comes from the sill and I turn to see a bright robin perched on the outer rim, eyeing me with something close to curiosity. I hate that it sits there, free to fly away, but chooses to mock me and my bad luck.

I throw the spoon at it.

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**Author's Note: So I've regained the spark for this and that excites me. I've missed writing for this fandom. It's a little short but I don't plan on making these chapters super long just because…well because I don't want to.**

**:D**

**Drop me a line or two and tell me what you think.**

**Mask of Mirage**


	3. Chapter 3

**Stockholm Syndrome**

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**Author: Mask of Mirage**

**Rating: M**

**Comments: So, here's chapter three, a rather quick update. I would like to thank all of those who read, reviewed and/or put this story on alert. It means a lot to me.**

**Mood Song(s): (what I was listening to while writing this) **

**Forever: Papa Roach**

**Meikyou Shisui by Duè le Quartz**

**Tief in Dir by Oomph**

**Sic Transit Gloria by Brand New**

**Guren by The GazettE**

**Hey Jude by the Beatles.**

**(as you can see, I listen to a variety of things)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, only the idea behind this story.**

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**Chapter Three**

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I can hear Kadaj and Yazoo upstairs directly above me and I can tell it's becoming heated as the sounds of things being thrown around becomes more frequent. 

"It's just that I think…"

"You think what Yazoo? Why are you so damn worried? He's our prisoner; I could care less if he's injured," Kadaj's voice cuts in.

"We have an extra room and it's right next to yours. We can just keep him there. Shinra isn't going to want to negotiate if he's all banged up and on the brink of death."

I wanted to tell them Shinra wasn't going to negotiate even if they sent me home with new shoes on my feet. It's quiet upstairs and I'm suddenly startled when I hear the lock to the cellar door slide and it slams open. I still the very breath in my lungs as Kadaj descends, with powerful grace even while stomping, and comes to a stop in front of me.

"Get the hell up and follow me," he orders forcefully. I stare up at him like he's speaking a foreign language and place my hands on my thighs, readying myself to stand. Apparently, this isn't fast enough as Kadaj grips my collar and yanks me roughly to my feet. I hiss in pain as he pushes me in front of him up the stairs.

"Does it hurt, Princess?" he jeers, jabbing me brutally in the side. I yell out loudly, black dotting my vision, and grip onto the door-frame for support. Kadaj fists my hair in his hand and tugs me behind him down the hall to our left. There are four doors: two on the right, one of the left, and one at the very end of the hall. I store this away in my memory for later as I'm shoved roughly into the middle room, Kadaj steps behind me.

"What the fuck is your problem, kid!" I yell, finally finding my voice and my nerve. Kadaj sneers and backhands me roughly across the face and I collapse onto the bed. His rich, yet hollow, laughter fills the room and I want to yank out every silver hair on his pathetic little head.

"Just be lucky I have a brother who's a sensitive prick. If it was up to me, I'd leave you down there to die," he states coldly before turning and leaving the room, the door slamming behind him.

I lie still on the bed and try to settle my throbbing body. My side is burning like fire and I resist the urge to cry out from the pain. Lying there on that small, hard, iron-cast bed, I made up my mind.

I wasn't going to just allow any of those three kick me around without me defending myself anymore. Even if my chances of leaving alive were slim to none, at least I'd have the peace of mind that I was going out fighting.

The door to my room clicks back open, rusted hinges squeaking horribly, and Yazoo makes his way to me, arms laden down with gauze, medication and a glass of water. He sets the water and pills on the table next to the bed and I take the initiative and take them, hissing through my teeth when I jar my ribs.

"You're going to have to remove your shirt so I can do this," Yazoo mumbles, holding up the gauze in his hand.

"You don't have to do this, y'know. It's not going to help much anyways; all you're doing is succeeding in making your brother more and more angrier," I say, unbuttoning my dress shirt and shrugging it off along with my outer coat.

His fingers are smooth and cold against my bare skin as he wraps the gauze around my middle, successfully hindering my movements.

"I don't do this because I want to," he corrects, staring me down, "so don't get the impression that I like you and I want to be your friend."

"Believe me, I already knew that," I mumble sarcastically, remembering back to the first fight that started this whole kidnapping mess.

"Kadaj can't think clearly when he's mad and I'm here to make sure he's not going to do something stupid."

I wince slightly when his fingers press down harder than usual and he sighs heavily out his mouth, ripping the gauze away from my body in aggravation. Standing, he motions for me to follow him and I warily get to my feet, slightly uncomfortable that he was being so quiet once more.

He glances down the hallway before ushering me into the bedroom next to my own and I'm taken aback by how utterly cluttered it is; there's hardly any room to move about. I weave myself in between the mess and follow him into a brightly-lit bathroom.

Kicking aside random items of clothing and muttering under his breath, 'Loz, you pig', Yazoo swept his hand over the tub, telling me silently what to do.

"Is this your subtle way of telling me I stink?" I joke, a little of the old Reno shining through. Yazoo narrows his eyes and cuffs me rather roughly upside the head and I smile at him. His brow furrows further and I can tell he's not pleased with the way I don't seem to be afraid of him like I am with his other two brothers.

He exits the bathroom with a huff under his breath and I am left to my own devices. The first thing that I do is scan the small room for a window, which to my dismay, there is none. Pansy bastard. There's a clean towel, surprisingly, folded up on a rack above the toilet and what looks like a pair of knit pants on top of it.

I stand there for a few moments, mouth hanging open like a fish. This is the first time in my life that I'm at a complete loss at what to do. Yazoo must have been planning all along to let me come in here and shower, or else there wouldn't of been a change of clothes that were way too small to fit Loz's large frame.

I blink once more stupidly for good measure and turn on the shower, stripping off my pants and boxers and stepping into the comfortably warm spray. I emit a guttural groan of appreciation as the water cascades down my back and soothes the numerous aching muscles. It wets my hair around my face and drips off the incline of my nose as I lean a hand upon the wall to support myself.

This is way too surreal.

I suppose I should be grateful, as their prisoner, that at least one of them thought I should get a proper shower but hell, this is way more that I bargained for. I try to stay under the water as long as possible after washing my body and hair but I knew if I did, Yazoo would come looking for me and I didn't want to take advantage of his rare hospitality just yet.

After shutting off the water, I stepped out and toweled myself off. The pants were a bit tight around the waist and were long in the legs so I assumed they were Yazoo's. Picking up my dirty boxers and pants, I cautiously weaved my way back into the hallway and gasped when I collided with someone. A large, muscled hand wound its way around my throat and I was shoved up against the wall, breath leaving me in a nice whoosh.

"What the hell were you in my room for?" Loz growled in my face and I suppose if I were him, I would be thinking the same thing.

"Let him go Loz." The pressure on my trachea releases and I turn my head to meet the cold green-blue eyes of Kadaj who was casually leaning up against the door of my room. I debate whether or not to try and enter my room but remind myself that I wasn't afraid of them anymore.

Kadaj glances up at me with unconcealed contempt as I come to a stop right in front of him and he smiles wickedly when he meets my eyes. "You must think you're pretty damn lucky, don't you?"

"Actually no, I think I'm rather unlucky," I reply, sarcastic. Kadaj frowns and rears back his hand. Thinking on reflex, I catch onto his wrist and press him back into the door. "Not going to happen again."

I apply pressure to his wrist and I can feel the bones creak beneath his skin and his eyes take on something akin to fear almost.

And then the little motherfucker head-butts me.

Hard. And my vision swims black and I collapse with a smile on my face. Because for an instant, I wasn't the prisoner and Kadaj was the one hunted. It felt pretty damn good and now I know this kid who thinks he's God has a weakness.

Oh, how the mighty fall.

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**Author's Note: Er, ignore the senseless rambling for the most part of this chapter. Woo, my crazy Reno is back. I put this in the horror genre, didn't I? I guess that means I ought to break that out sometime soon.**

**Mask of Mirage**


	4. Chapter 4

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**

Stockholm Syndrome

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**Author: Mask of Mirage**

**Rating: M**

**Comments: I was really going to wait a few days before posting this but I wanted to get it out of my sight. I just got the feeling I was updating way too fast and you readers would think the quality wouldn't be up to par. I love it when I sit down and words just come so easily to me. It makes me quite pleased with myself that I know where I want to go with this story and there's no problem in getting there.**

**Warning: Well suggested yaoi and er…self-mutilation?**

**Mood Songs: It's Not Over by Daughtry**

**Razorblade Kiss by H.I.M**

**The Couplet by Kill Paradise**

**Tainted Love by Marilyn Manson**

**Stockholm Syndrome by Muse :D**

**Fully Alive by Flyleaf**

**Itoshii Hito by Miyavi (is god)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from this fandom.**

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**Chapter Four**

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'_This is getting pretty old.'_

That's what I'm thinking when I wake up. I really needed to stop passing out before these jerks think I'm some kind of wimp. I'm startled when I open my eyes in an unfamiliar room, a wash of light punctuating the otherwise shadowy atmosphere.

I'm lying on top of the covers and hanging sideways off the bed and when I sit up I let out a quiet gasp to see Kadaj not three feet from me. He has his knees bent against his body, arms wrapped around them and his head buried in between.

I glance over at the window, noting with glee that it was cracked at the bottom. I could escape now while Kadaj wasn't paying attention and make a break for it. Sure, I had no earthly clue where they had taken me but I'm positive I could get away if I found a main road.

My fingers find purchase on the splintered wood of the window and for some reason I pause, glancing back over my shoulder. Something sharp constricts in my chest upon the sight of Kadaj and the way he so suddenly looked vulnerable and childlike. I scrunch my nose in displeasure at this thought and clamber quietly out onto the sill.

The house is only one-story but the drop from the window to the ground is a good distance because of the sloping of the side yard. The basement isn't helping matters much either. I grip onto the window frame behind me and prepare to jump when suddenly three demonic wolf-like creatures materialize out of nowhere on the ground below me.

Well shit.

"Normally," a voice murmurs behind me, "I would try to stop you from escaping but the idea of you being torn to shreds by my Shadows is highly amusing also."

Said creatures snarled and bit at each other down below, oozing black saliva dripping from their sharp canines. My grasp loosens on the frame, fully prepared to take my chances with the dogs when a long, sharp blade is pressed against my windpipe.

"And this is Souba," Kadaj breathes into my ear, angling the katana to cut neatly into my flesh. Realizing if I moved forward, he would slice off my head, I let my arms drop to my sides and leaned my weight against him. The leather of his jacket was cool against my back and this, combined with the slow trickle of blood from my neck, made me feel slightly light-headed.

Defeat reared its ugly head and a sense of despair settled over me.

Completely boneless, I barely felt Kadaj turn me around, the flat of the katana resting solidly across my shoulder blades. I continued to stare at some unknown spot above his left shoulder, vaguely aware of his warm breath against my collarbone.

Yet, this seemed to shock me out of my stupor because I immediately tried to back up, try to regain some of my space, fear once again overriding my senses. I felt his hand splay across my Adam's apple, smearing the crimson blood there.

Then all I can see is a curtain of silver hair as he leans forward and presses his lips at the dip in my throat, a warm pink tongue darting out to lap at the droplet of blood that had gathered. A jolt shudders through me and I push myself back, hissing when Souba nicks cleanly at my back. Kadaj smiles languidly before moving aside.

I seize the opportunity to dart out of the room and down the hall. I pass the basement door and skid to a halt in some sort of kitchen where Yazoo and Loz are seated at a round table, playing a game of cards. They glance up at me and I can hear Kadaj's light footsteps from behind.

"You're bleeding a little there Red," Loz snickers, a malicious grin spread out over his big, stupid face.

"You're all insane, you're all out of your goddamn mind," I rasp out, suddenly finding it hard to think properly. Rational thought was deserting me, the stress that had accumulated was finally sending me over the edge. I felt hunted; I needed out!

Balling my fist, I turn and send it flying to whatever's closest. Kadaj never really sees it coming, not expecting me to lash out of the blue. He hits the ground harder than he probably expected and I'm above him, straddling his ridiculously slim hips.

I can no longer control myself as I punch blindly, smirking in delight when blood squirts from his nose. He emits a shrill yelp when my hands close around his neck but before I can do anything more, I'm pulled away by my arms and hair.

Loz growls in my ear as he drags me down the hallway towards my room. Once there he kicks the door open and boots my happy ass in. I try to sneak back under his arm but a swift punch to my stomach brings me to my knees and the door is promptly slammed in my face.

I lean my face against the cold hardwood, peering from underneath the small crack under the door. I can see Yazoo helping Kadaj to a sitting position against the wall, holding a towel against his nose. His face was turned down in a disgusted, pained grimace as he gingerly touched the area around his eye that was slowly becoming puffy. I let out a small delirious laugh at this sight, adrenaline still rushing like morphine through my veins.

He glares over in the direction of my door and I roll over onto my back, still laughing under my breath. They probably thought I was insane now. Go ahead, let them. It'll give them a challenge. They should have realized before they kidnapped me, Reno was no push-over. My sides heave and I force myself to calm back down, lest I upset my bruised, perhaps cracked, ribs. The dried blood on my neck is sticky and my back stings slightly where I've rubbed it on the hard wood.

For some reason the random dirty cobwebs that are hanging from the ceiling amuse me and I find myself chuckling quietly at how they sway back and forth whenever a stray breeze passes them. Shaking my head, I run a hand over my face. I was losing it, I needed to get my wits back together.

Just because I happened to get a few hits in a moment ago didn't mean they were going to be intimidated of me. They might even considering getting Loz to beat me again. Like a dog. That's all he really was, their puppet they ordered around. He wouldn't bite unless told so or provoked.

Yazoo didn't like me but then again, he didn't like the situation either. Out of the three, I felt most secure around him, even though I'm sure he could talk to me just as easily as he could turn and cut me to ribbons in the same breath.

Then there was Kadaj. Fifteen years old, as my sources had told me, and already a deadly child prodigy. The one who supposedly harbored the menace that was Sephiroth. He wasn't just hard to figure out or predict, he was downright mind-boggling.

Never before have I been frozen to the spot like I was with him. His very presence froze my blood in my veins and glued my feet to the floor. There was no escaping when he was around, it was physically impossible. Perhaps his Jenova cells were messing with my brain.

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The next thing I know is that I'm waking up and it's quiet inside the house. An old board creaks somewhere down the hall and I glance towards the door, expecting someone to walk through. I bolt to a sitting position when I see Kadaj sitting on the floor, back against it, already _in_ my room.

There's a thick blanket wrapped around his small frame and a mug of hot coffee in his hands. He reaches in between his legs and pulls out another mug, silently pushing it towards me on the floor. I stare at it for a few moments before he sighs out of frustration, reaching forward and taking the mug before bringing it to his lips and swallowing some.

"See, not poisoned," he mocks, pushing it once again towards me on the floor. This time I reach out, when his hand pulls back, and take the mug, drinking it down in one gulp. The hot liquid stings my throat but it's the first thing I've had to eat or drink since the day before and it feels good nonetheless.

I grin with satisfaction around my mug to see Kadaj's eye to be slightly black and blue around the edges though disappointed that his nose wasn't broken. I hadn't hit him hard enough, after all. He notices this and seems to read my mind because his next words confirm why he's here.

"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that," he murmurs quietly, "and I respect someone who can put up a good fight."

"It's a shame I don't think the same of you," I reply back haughtily, angered that he can be so conversational to someone he's "kidnapped".

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm pissed at you. You've hurt my face. Now what will I get the ladies with," he jokes yet completely serious at the same time.

I roll my eyes a bit, clearly this kid had a long way to go before he fully matured. I set the empty mug down loudly and fix him with a glare. "Why are you here? I'm sure you didn't come in here to have coffee with me and chit-chat."

"You interest me, 's all. And you drool when you sleep. I wanted to see what you were made of. It's not everyday someone is able to actually injure me."

"You're not some kind of god," I lash out, "so quit expecting me to drop on my knees at your feet and beg for forgiveness."

"No, no. That's not it. I was just curious, nothing more." He says this while running his pinkie finger over the rim of his mug, smearing a clear space through the condensation. I watch entranced when his voice suddenly breaks me from his hand and up to his eyes.

"But you're not leaving anytime soon, so I suggest you settle down and keep your fists to yourself or else we would have to have a repeat of your first night here and I really don't want Yazoo up my ass afterwards."

"I bet he's in your ass, alright," I mumble under my breath. I raise my eyes back up to stare into livid blue-green and I know I've crossed the line. Slowly, he stands up, the mug falling from his hands and crashing to the floor into a hundred pieces.

He approaches me and I instinctively scoot back across the floor but don't get very far as he's standing above me, his legs on either side, effectively trapping me in place. I can feel fear swell up in my chest as he lowers himself down on me, settling on my stomach. "You're scared, aren't you?" he mumbles, running his fingers through my hair and yanking roughly.

Damn straight I'm scared, this kid is fucking crazy but I'm not about to tell him that. He picks up a piece of broken mug and waves it in my face before resting it along the tendon in my neck. "Are you scared now?" The ceramic glass slides up my neck right beneath my chin and my breath hitches quietly in my throat, my eyes widening.

Kadaj smirks above me and pulls off his gloves, tossing them to the side. He puts the glass against his wrist and grins down at me, his eyes flickering in a strange way. "How about now?" He suddenly swipes at his wrist, the broken shard cutting deep into his skin and a droplet of blood falls and lands on my chest.

His grin widens even more at the shocked look on my face and he presses down on a vein in his arm, causing the blood to flow out faster and at a more steady pace. It runs down his wrist and disappears in his long-sleeved jacket; some of it continues to drip onto my bare chest.

"You wish you could do this to me, don't you," he whispers breathlessly. "You wish you could take this shard and slit my neck with it but you can't." He leans down closer to my ear, his bloody wrist pressed fully up against my chest and I can feel the warm liquid smearing on my skin. "Do you want to know why you can't kill me? Do you want to know why you can't defeat me?

He arches his back and I can now feel the cold zipper of his jacket press along my navel. "It's because I'm stronger than you," he murmurs in my ear.

He pulls back and smirks evilly at the evolution my face was probably going through. The room has suddenly become stifling hot even though it was actually cool moments earlier and I can hear the faint pounding of my heartbeat in my temple. I try to open my mouth to speak but all that comes out is a strong whoosh of air and Kadaj laughs.

Loudly. The room is filled with his possessed laughter, probably even scaring the spiders in their respective corners. This kid was brought up straight from Hell, itself. I can faintly still smell the charred ends of his once-burning wings.

Silver hair brushes across my shoulders as Kadaj's head is suddenly parallel to my chest and his tongue is once again, for the second time that day, gently lapping at my skin. Fear blinds me at this simple action. This overwhelming panic is slowly eating at my insides, corroding at the nerve endings in my brain and the only thing that crosses my mind is that if I don't cooperate with this boy, he's going to kill me.

In the worst ways absolutely imaginable.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hodamn, that ending was hard to write. Don't even know why. Listening to evil music really helps. And by that I mean Marilyn Manson. Tainted Love is really the only song I can listen all the way through by that man. He honestly scares the shit out of me.**

**X) Sleepy time for the Mirage.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Stockholm Syndrome**

* * *

**Author: Mask of Mirage**

**Rating: M**

**Comments: I'm not quite sure about this chapter and I may redo it when my ramblings begin to make a little more sense. So anyways, thank you for such positive reviews and so many! **

**Mood Song: The Truth About Heaven by Armor For Sleep**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story.**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

* * *

A tingle runs through my fingers and I wish I could move them to get the blood circulating once more but I don't dare, lest I wake Kadaj. It's been at least three hours -the sun has long set- since he passed out on my bed, presumably from blood loss, although the bleeding stopped a while ago.

In his own twisted way, he had grabbed my hand and was currently lying on it, so he would know if I tried to move. Dangerous _and_ smart. Not a good combination.

The panic attack that I experienced earlier had dissipated and I was left to stare at the boy with pensive curiosity. What he had said upset me deeply because, deep down, I know it's true. I couldn't defeat him; I could beat the living hell out of him but I couldn't kill him. It was strange, there was this fierce need to protect him, drug up from some carnal instinct deep within my soul.

I couldn't explain it and this irritated me most of all. Slowly, I rested my cheek on the edge of the bed, barely breathing, and stared up at the almost-benign face of Kadaj. His lips were parted slightly and his nearly-invisible eyelashes fluttered as if he were dreaming.

No doubt about ripping me from limb to limb.

This was insane. _I _was insane. But before I could sit and ponder more about my apparent insanity, Yazoo enters the room. He pauses at the sight before him and slowly approaches the side of the bed, flipping Kadaj's wrist over to inspect the damage.

Almost instantaneously, Kadaj bolted upright in the bed and I ducked down in case he was one of those violent wakers.

"Shh," Yazoo soothed, gathering his younger brother in his arms, picking him up just like you would a sleeping child. Kadaj's head slumps against his shoulder and blue-green drifts back closed. Yazoo glares down at me, eyes brimming with confusion. "I don't know what happened in here nor do I really want to. Kadaj has never acted like this before," he mumbles before turning towards the door.

"Wait," I call out, my hand stretching out as if to pull them both back, "how is he acting?" My voice is lethargic and I fight back the sleep that threatens to overcome me. Yet, something tells me to find out this change in Kadaj that has to do with me.

Yazoo pauses in the threshold and looks back over his shoulder, the unadulterated disdain in his eyes startling me. "He's nicer…," he trails off before disappearing around the door face.

I nod to myself, too tired to let this information permeate into my brain. Crawling on top of the bed, I pull back the covers that are stained with blood and collapse face-first onto the mattress. It doesn't take all that long to fall asleep, and when I do, my mind is un-plagued from the nightmares I knew I should be having.

* * *

It's still early in the morning when I wake up, judging by the murky rays of light that dazzle through the dusty window in my room. I watch the silent beams radiate in the dust motes I had stirred up when I flipped over, mesmerized by the quiet, peaceful settling and creaks of the house.

Judging by the gray wash of the sky outside, I know the others aren't going to be getting up in the next hour or so, even if they are early risers.

_He's nicer…_

Yazoo's words cut through me like a serrated blade. How can someone like him be _nicer_? I don't think Kadaj is capable of being anything other than sadistic. A painful grumble from my stomach reinforces this truth and I swing my legs from the bed.

The hardwood floor is cool beneath my feet and I try to make the least noise possible as I crack my door and slip through it into the hallway. I follow what light there is into the kitchen, glancing back over my shoulder to make sure no one is there.

Through the dirty window over the sink, I notice that there's a slight drizzle falling from the sky and I search the kitchen for something to eat. There's a bag of chips on the counter and after a moment of pausing when I fear I've woken someone by the rustling, I dig into them, stifling a groan of pleasure as the crunchy snack goes down my throat.

That's when I notice the door. I'm surprised I hadn't seen it yesterday when I was in here, but I reasoned that I was too busy fighting at the time to notice much of anything.

I open the door, surprised that it's unlocked and step outside, relief sliding over my body at the smell of fresh air. This was my chance to escape right now. I'm halfway down the steep steps when I see a body hunched against the end of the railing, a trail of smoke curling up around his head and flowing into the breeze.

I pause on the steps, wondering if he's heard me and I should turn around an go another way. Instead, something pulls me forwards as I see those slim shoulders shake and a quiet sob reaches my ears.

I kneel down next to Kadaj who's face is pressed into the splintered wood of the railing, cigarette drooping low from his lips. A trail of tears are etched on his porcelain face and something inside me clenches painfully.

I sit next to him on the steps and put an arm aroundhisshoulders to which he flinches and slings it off. He takes a long shuddering breath and crushes the cigarette under his boot. His arms come over to cross on his legs and he buries his head in them, apparently trying to get himself under control.

I want to ask him what's wrong but I'm afraid of what he might say or do and the fact that I somehow care in the first place. Instead I say the first thing that pops into my head.

"Would you go after me if I got up and took off right now?"

Kadaj turns his head to face me and through the curtain of his silver hair I can make out his brilliant blue-green eyes. He turns back to the ground in front of him and I can see his fingers clutch tighter at his arms.

"I don't care," he finally replies after what seems like an eternity. His answer catches me off-guard and I wait for a moment to see if he's going to unleash his Shadows. When I see he's not, I stand quietly and begin to walk away from the house.

I'm halfway across the yard when I feel his presence at my side and I tense up instinctively. Yet, he stops when we near the edge where the grass is no longer shorter and there's a great expanse of wheat field in front of me.

"Just seeing you off," he murmurs, sitting down in a rusted swing near him. I glance at him one last time before I push through the waist-high grain, feeling it brush silently against the calloused skin of my hands.

I hear the swing creak behind me and my footsteps slowly come to a halt. The wind blows my long, red hair around my shoulders and I lift my face to the sky, feeling the comforting rain. I'm slowly losing my mind. Here I am, nearly gone, and I can't bring myself to actually leave.

I glance back over my shoulder to see Kadaj in a similar position, face raised to the sky and knuckles clenched white around the chains of the swing. The wind suddenly blows hard through the field and yet, I don't feel it at all. Something is wrong with me, there has to be because I slowly turn on my heel and begin walking towards Kadaj.

He meets my gaze and fear flickers in his eyes when he catches the seriousness in mine. The dirt around his feet shift as he moves nervously, apparently uncomfortable with me coming near him.

"I thought I told you to go," he says to me but he immediately quiets down when I pull him up by his collar from the swing. His aqua orbs dart back and forth across my face, searching it for what I'm about to do.

I don't think either of us really knows what that is exactly as I lower my mouth and gently press my lips against his. It's a good thing I've finally lost my mind or else I would have pulled away when I hear his startled little moan.

And perhaps it's a good thing that I've finally lost my mind when I don't so much as flinch when a warm, sharp blade sinks into the flesh of my stomach.

And maybe it's just some heavenly deities working above when the last thing I hear before falling into unconsciousness is Kadaj yelling for his brothers.

Because all this means I get to stay a little longer with the one person who can scare the living hell out of me and the only one who can keep me coming back.

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, it's beginning. The whole syndrome part, that is.**

**Mask of Mirage**


	6. Chapter 6

**Stockholm Syndrome**

**Author: Mask of Mirage**

**Rating: M**

**Comments: So, I woke up early one morning and wrote out the ending to this story; even when I'm not sure what's to go in the middle. Figures. I happen to like it. And I hope you all do to when we get there.**

**Mood Song: Fake It by Seether.**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

* * *

The first thing I'm aware of is the searing, twisting pain in my abdomen. It feels like someone has shoved a red-hot skewer through my navel and was currently scraping my innards apart and poking at the edges of my lungs.

I feel slightly lethargic, like I'd been shot through with morphine and by the dull ache at my forearm, I probably had. I'm sitting there mulling over the possibilities of having died or not and if this was my Hell, when I feel the bed beneath me shift and someone's finger prods me in the thigh.

"I know you're awake," Kadaj's lilting voice reaches me and I sigh in defeat. That sounded far too real for me to be deceased.

"You," a cough enters my throat and that simple action sends fire throughout my torso, "stabbed me."

"Why'd you do it?" Kadaj blatantly ignores my statement. "Why'd you kiss me?"

I open my eyes now, staring up into his teal ones. It's only now that I get a true sense of how close to me he really is. His eyes flicker across my face, trying to read my expressions but apparently I'm not showing any because he reels back, sighing in frustration. His fingers run through his hair and it almost seems like he's suddenly nervous which confuses me greatly.

He's always been so sure of himself the entire time I've been here. I can't seem to grasp the fact that my little kiss could upset his emotions this much. Even so, I don't know how to answer his question because _I_ was still sifting through the reasons in my head.

I hated this boy with ever fiber of my being yet I couldn't seem to be away from his presence for a mere moment. It frustrates me honestly, because I really want to leave this place; this personal hell. My hair falls across my face and I notice it feels really stiff and oily.

"Hey," I murmur, wondering if my next question is going to upset the delicate balance of Kadaj's psyche, "do you think I could take a shower?"

His eyes snap over to me and a sarcasm coats his voice. "Do you think you can make it?"

I know he's referring to the still-healing injury _he_ gave me. I stomp down the urge to throttle him and throw back the blankets that were wrapped around me. "As long as my hair is clean, I can stomach whatever kind of pain," I mumble back half-heartedly.

Kadaj looks at me quietly and then nods his head before moving off the bed to let me up. His jacket brushes past me and I catch a whiff on his hair. A sweet kind of cinnamon. I wonder when he finds the time to shower himself; I never hear him. Kadaj shows me to the bathroom in Loz's room, which I begin to think is the only one in the house, and my clothes I came here with are magically waiting for me on the back of the toilet; clean. He follows me in there and hangs out around the door like he's contemplating something.

"What?" I prod, anxious for him to leave so I can get under the warm spray of the water. His eyebrows knit together in what looks like frustration and he steps closer to me.

His cool breath fans across my chest and I feel his fingers work at the bloodstained bandages around my stomach. His touch is gentler than what I'd expected and a jolt runs up my body where his fingers press on my lower back, on either side of my spine.

The bandages fall away to the floor and I finally get a good look at my stab wound. It's excruciatingly red around the edges and stitched together roughly with black thread. It still burns something fierce and I hope they have something to put on it if it gets infected.

"Did you do this?" I ask him, curious as to why his teal eyes suddenly found the ground far more interesting.

"No, Yazoo did."

"'S gonna leave one hell of a scar," I mumble quietly, more to myself. Kadaj's eyes then flicker up to meet mine and I couldn't look away even if I wanted to. I hate and love how his eyes can do that.

"Why did you do it?" he asks for the second time in the past hour. The electricity in the small bathroom suddenly becomes static. Not breaking eye contact, I reach down and feel for his hand. Bringing it up to my face, I slowly and gently place my lips on the inside of his fingers.

His eyes become wide, the pupils dilating, and he jerks his hand from my grasp before staggering backwards out of the bathroom. I chuckle quietly to myself as I divest my pants and step under the soothing spray of the shower, taking unusual delight in the strawberry-scented shampoo. Yazoo's preference, no doubt.

I try to stay in the shower as long as possible once again but the warm water was starting to make the cut sting fiercely and I'm sure my toes and fingers are beginning to look like prunes. Shutting off the tap, I step out to see a clean towel and a toothbrush lying on top of the sink. I glance towards the door to see it now closed and suddenly get embarrassed at the fact that someone had walked in and I never heard them.

Brushing my teeth felt like I had died and gone to heaven; it's funny how I took the simplest things for granted before. It was just another piece that refused to fit in this puzzle that was my life. The biggest missing piece being why I couldn't leave when I had the chance. Why I turned around. Why I chose, for reasons that were just not coming to me, to kiss Kadaj.

My clothes feel familiar and comforting as they scratch and brush against my skin as I slip into them. The house is quiet, just like it was early yesterday morning when I had tried to make my great escape. I can't believe I could have been out for a full day! It could possibly be even more than that though; I just knew it was around dusk now, judging by the soft green light filtering in through the window in the hall.

A light draft blows down the hallway and it feels good against my damp face. My boots feel sturdy and safe on my feet and for the first time since arriving here the thought that I might actually get out alive crosses my mind. If only I could take the few last steps down this hallway, cross the kitchen, and bust through the door at the far end, I'd be gone.

I stand completely still as I hear someone approach from behind me and I can just imagine that light at the end, drifting farther and farther away because something, _someone,_ was keeping me from reaching out and taking that opportunity. I inhale deeply as I feel the presence behind me come closer, taking in the way they walked light on their feet. Light breathing wafts over my ear and the tiniest of shivers races parallel to my spine.

But before I am able to turn around and look into the eyes of the one person who's turned my world inside out, the thud of heavy steel-toed boots sounds at the far end of the hall behind us, the deafening slam of a door echoing down the hall.

"Finally caught the damn thing," Loz exclaims loudly and at once the unusual feeling of security dissipates and I stiffen as I hear Loz approach us. "Y'think this'll fit in the oven?" he continues, holding up a fairly large dead boar. It died with its eyes open and the fog of death had long since covered the pupils. Yet my stomach grumbles loudly, causing the occupants of the room to turn and stare at me.

"Red, y'hungry?" Loz drawls, waving the dead pig near me. I watch it swing from his big hand and somewhere deep inside me, I hope I don't turn out like the boar.

Kadaj scoffs loudly and pushes past me towards the kitchen where I can then hear the banging of pots and pans as he searches for something big enough to cook the thing in. I turn into what looks like the living room and collapse on the weathered couch there, where I'm still able to see everything that goes on behind me.

Kadaj is flitting around the kitchen and pretty soon the whole house is filled with the most delicious smell. Well, that could only be me smelling it as I was so hungry at the moment, I could have ate anything if it was given to me.

I attack the cooked pork with so much vigor that Yazoo shoots Kadaj a look that clearly stated that he hadn't been aware that I wasn't being fed regularly. Kadaj shrugs in response and turns back to his sword which he was polishing.

* * *

After dinner, I retreat back to my room, uncomfortable with just lounging around with my captors. The sun had dipped below the horizon and a cool wild-flower scented breeze flowed in through the open window.

I sat reclined on my bed reading a book that I had found lying on the floor in the hallway. It was falling apart and the pages were saturated with mold that made me sneeze but it was interesting and I was bored. What's funny is that I never liked to read before only when I had to; a necessary evil.

Giant machines from outer space were just landing on a small patch of farmland when I noticed out of my peripheral a figure pause in the open doorway. Kadaj didn't stay for long, clearly thinking my privacy was of little to no importance to him, before he was across the room.

"What are you reading?" he asks after a moment, busy changing the bandages around my waist. His fingers are cool and I have slight difficulty concentrating on my reply.

"War of the Worlds," I breathe out, hoping my voice sounded steadier than my hands. Kadaj hums in acknowledgement and slides around behind me to tie off the gauze. I feel something rake through the ends of my hair and it pulls sharply at my scalp.

"Jeez, your hair's a mess," he mumbles behind me. I can hear him rustle around in a drawer next to the bed and then the feather-soft sensations of a fine-toothed comb gently works at the knots in my long tresses.

"What are you doing?" I ask a bit timidly, not liking this feeling of sudden contentment I was getting from getting my hair combed from another person.

"Brushing out this rat's nest, what else would I be doing?" Kadaj mocks, growling at a particular knot that was giving him trouble.

"Uh, thanks, I guess," I reply quietly, trying to look like I was absorbing myself once more in the book but in reality I was trying to calm the raging emotions that were taking place inside my body. He continues to comb through my thick hair until it is finally free from all its tangles.

Kadaj's breath is cool against my shoulder and sounds suddenly become amplified in the room. I hear the loud chirps of cicadas outside my bedroom window and I slowly turn my head and gently rest my forehead against his, a mix of unnamed emotion coursing through me. His breathing is quiet and from this position I can listen to his pulse. It resembles a hummingbird and it's now that I am reminded just how mortal he really is.

Gently, I nudge his nose with my own till his lips are even with mine and he does the rest, collapsing into my mouth with an audible sigh. The force behind it almost makes me lose my balance but I catch myself and focus on the soft, barely-moving lips beneath my own.

I don't go any farther than massaging them till they're a rosy pink, not wanting to scare him into possibly injuring me again. He breaks contact but stays close enough that I can feel his tepid breath brush against my parted lips. His eyes are hooded and staring up at me with such and intensity that I reach around and cup his cheek with my hand. And a word escapes my mouth in a long sigh.

"Shit…"

This really couldn't be happening to me, could it? Wasn't this not supposed to happen? Most people who were kidnapped, beat, and held against their will weren't supposed to fall in love.

With their captors, no less.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry for such a long wait in updating. I've just been swamped with not giving a damn about writing. Haha.**

**We all have those days.**

**Mask of Mirage**


	7. Chapter 7

**Stockholm Syndrome**

* * *

**Author: Mask of Mirage**

**Rating: M**

**Comments: Sorry for such the long wait; the words were escaping me for the longest while. And it was starting to get ridiculous. Some days I would sit down and be able to get only a paragraph out then I would lose whatever I had and get frustrated. But finally, it's here. This story is closing up to its end because when I started I wanted to show how the syndrome could affect someone so deeply in such a short amount of time. So, if I would guess, after this chapter, there will be one more to close it all up.**

**Mood Song: Orestes by A Perfect Circle**

**Disclaimer: Do not own Final Fantasy.**

* * *

"Why are you doing this?" Kadaj murmurs against my mouth, as his fingers thread through the strands of my hair. "Aren't you supposed to hate me?"

We're lying on the bed in a sort of awkward but comfortable spooning position and his shoulder is sharply pressing into my neck but I don't feel like moving, too drowsy in this sated state. I've figured out something very quickly and that is that I could not get enough of kissing Kadaj. It's a wonder he was able to work out those two sentences at all.

And just like a heavy fog, the mood completely leaves and Kadaj grows rigid in my grasp, as if he's finally come to his senses and realized what exactly he was doing. "You…kissed me. _Again._"

The air between us is suddenly charged and too many things are racing through my mind so I just nod my head. What was happening with me? I wasn't supposed to feel this way towards someone I was supposed to loath with all my being.

Silver hairs tickle my cheek as Kadaj brushes past me, knocking me roughly on my shoulder. "I don't know what you're trying to pull, maybe it's a guilt trip, but you should really stop while you're ahead."

Understanding has lost me. Wasn't he just sitting there with me, returning the same slow kisses. I never took him for a tease, that's for sure. "I'm not pull--"

"I'll ruin you," he cuts me off, the door slamming shut behind him.

I felt like burying my head in sand but I doubt even _that_ would cure me of these thoughts. A second door sounds somewhere in the house and I can hear Kadaj's heavy booted steps descend the front porch. I spring to my feet to follow him. I may not be able to reason with him but maybe I could at least get him to see my side. Whatever _that_ was.

* * *

The sky is a deep wash of grey and I can feel stinging droplets of rain merged with the wind. Holding a hand over my eyes, I begin to approach the still form of Kadaj out in the middle of the tall wheat.

"Go away," he snaps, barely inclining his head in my direction. "I think Loz may have kicked you too hard in the head because any other person would have taken off by now."

I kneel next to him on the ground, moving his shoulder-length hair from his neck and replacing it with my face. Before I can comprehend him moving, he whirls on me with his fist and I fall backwards onto my back, blood bubbling up from a gash on my lip. He moves over me till he's seated comfortably on my stomach, his sharp sword pressed lightly to my jugular.

As if flicked on by a switch, the heady pressure of pleasure begins its unhurried trickle in my body. Was this really happening? Was my body actually getting off to this dangerous, deadly side of Kadaj and the jeopardy he was putting my life in? Cold droplets of rain fall on my face and I squint my eyes to see. Kadaj looks at me, the anger in his face slowly vanishing.

"Why are you doing this? Aren't you aware that I could break you so easily?" His voice has dropped so low that I can barely hear it over the rain. He looks so despondent and frustrated and so far, far away. Tentatively, I reach up and run my thumb over the expanse of his cheekbone and his eyes dart to mine. A sigh escapes him and he bends his face closer to mine, allowing his cool breath to float over my eyelashes.

And then so soft that I can barely feel it, his lips settle on mine and they successfully push every single question that was plaguing my mind out of the way. Cause that's how it is with him, everything escapes me when he's near and I forget who I am, what I've done and how everything that had happened so far just didn't matter.

I don't want to think about what's going to happen to me; whether or not he's going to kill me in the end because I don't want moments like these to end. I'm not a sappy person; not prone to dance and skip around with sparkling hearts about my head. But with him, and I know this is so cliché, I feel like I could stop wars.

The pressure on my mouth increases with each passing moment and I part my lips silently. His tongue sweeps into my mouth and catches fire to everything it touches. I'm aware that his hands are moving over my chest sensuously, but hesitantly, like he knows what to do but is afraid to do it.

A large part of me realizes that to Kadaj this is just hormones and pure lust and I don't mind much because it's simpler that way when only one loves in the end so when things do hit a boil, only one walks away with everything torn from them.

* * *

I could tell as soon as I stepped into the house something was wrong by the eerie silence that permeated the air, causing a stale, rank taste in my mouth. Kadaj, who was at my side, seemed to have noticed it too because his fingers were inching towards the handle of his sword.

I watch, cautious, as Yazoo steps from the shadows of the hallway, Loz not feet behind him. "Kadaj, what were you doing outside?" Yazoo questions in a dangerous monotone.

I'm suddenly hyper-aware of my tangled hair and the bright red mark on Kadaj's pale throat, leering up from behind his high collar. It probably didn't help matters much that both of our mouths were still swollen from moments earlier.

"Is this what this is all about?!" Kadaj yells, finally speaking on our behalf. I was worried there for a moment that he was going to leave me to the buzzards and Loz is the biggest damn buzzard I've ever seen.

Yazoo crosses his arms over his chest and fixes him with a steely glare. "You are not."

Those three monosyllabic words send Kadaj's time-bomb temper over the edge and he snarls. "Who are you to tell me what to do! You were no different from me!"

"Kadaj, you know it's not right to…" Yazoo pleads, his attempts to calm his angry brother failing.

"Or have you forgotten Totchi?"

Yazoo falls dead silent, eyes widening and mouth screwing up into a frown. Loz's quick intake of breath is heard loudly through the silence and I notice him take a quick few steps back. I ease around to Kadaj's right, thinking whatever was about to happen, I was going to be safer near Loz's big form.

I never even saw it, it happened so fast. One minute Yazoo's arms are still crossed over his chest and the next, his bladed gun is firing so fast that I lurch forward to instinctively protect Kadaj. But before I can, I see he has his sword out and successfully deflects all the bullets, the metal pings loud in the room.

A blur of silver brushes past me and something yanks on my wrist. I'm dragged into Kadaj's room, narrowly dodging a stray bullet that whizzes by my ear. Kadaj, who I come to find out was the indistinguishable blur, flings me against the side wall out of the way and slams the door behind us.

Yazoo is yelling out in the hallway, apparently blowing holes in the roof because I can hear plaster raining down in the hallway. This new, violent side of him startles me and I shrink farther back against the wall, locking eyes with Kadaj. He eyes me warily and I can see there is moisture building up behind his eyelashes.

"Why!? Why would you bring up something like that?! You knew I loved her! You were there when I had to do it, weren't you? You saw! Bastard!", Yazoo's voice is harsh and we both hear the slam of the front door and his muttered curses fading away.

Loz's own footsteps stop outside the door. "Y'know Kadaj, you really didn't have to say that."

"Go to hell, Loz," the teen mumbles, slumping to the ground, his back against the door.

"Just saying." Loz retreats and the house is left silent. I stay in my spot in the corner, afraid to ask what exactly just happened. But those slim shoulders are starting to shake and I knew I couldn't just let him sit there like that. Crawling towards him, I pull him to me and wrap my arms around his back.

He struggles in my hold for a few moments before releasing a loud roar and hitting me in the face. I fall back heavily against the door and watch as he wipes the tears roughly from his eyes. I stay still for a moment to easy my aching ribs.

"Totchi was a girl that we met up with about a year ago. From the very start, I knew she was trouble but I couldn't stop Yazoo from falling madly in love with her. I was there when he had to kill her when we found out she had led Shinra to us," he explains quietly.

Leaning forward, I place my hand at the base of his neck and gently kiss the tip of his nose. I didn't know what to say and knowing Kadaj, he wouldn't have appreciated it if I did. To my surprise, he sighs softly and leans forward, capturing my lips with his.

It's then when I lose sight of what's happening because I obviously don't stop him when his fingers find the zipper to my pants and pull it down. Even so, I don't even protest a single complaint when things hit the brink and I'm panting beneath him, writhing underneath his small, muscular frame and probably calling out his name as well.

Anybody else would have called it rape, considering they had kidnapped me but I didn't know what to call it. In the right frame of mind, I may have fought back and escaped when I had the chance. But I wasn't thinking right these days and it frustrates me that I've turned into this. So, I've fallen completely infatuated with my youngest captor. So fucking what? Does this mean that he'll let me live in the end? Do my feelings really count when it's all said and done and he's standing before me with his sword or a gun?

I know the answer to this question but I don't want to admit it to myself. I keep telling myself it was out of survival; if I did everything they said and been a good little boy, I would come out alive. Cooperation is all it took. And this is where it got me. Fuck, I wasn't even gay!

But no matter, lying here with my back against the floor and his lithe, sweaty body across my chest, both coming down from that white sort of heaven, like always, nothing matters anymore.

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**Author's Note: Damn, that chapter took a curveball. Oh well, I wasn't really intending on have a long drawn-out love scene because let's face it, there's no butterfly feelings in this and I can get kind of mushy and out of character caught in the midst of those. It's not really long and I know you all deserve so much more after that long wait you had to endure.**

**:D**

**So, the next is that final chapter which closes up Stockholm Syndrome. When I sat down to write it, I felt like I could get everything out and okay in just a few chapters. And so far, it's working. I do feel that there are some loose, frayed ends that need to be patched up but those can be fixed at a later date.**

**So, stayed tuned for the upcoming chapter. It shouldn't be too long from now because I had wrote the last chapter a while ago. There's just a few more tweaks I have to give to it and it'll be ready.**

**Mask of Mirage**


	8. Chapter 8

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Stockholm Syndrome

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**Author: Mask of Mirage**

**Rating: M**

**Comments: Is it the end already? I think my timing is pretty good considering I'm finishing this up a couple weeks before school lets out for summer. Which excites me cause I can devote myself to some things I've been wanting to do and wanting to write but too stressed and bogged down with school work to do.**

**I may even get off my lazy ass and get a job…**

**Mood Song: Farewell by Apocalyptica or Stockholm Syndrome by Muse. :D**

**Disclaimer: For the final time, I do not own Advent Children.**

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**Chapter Eight: Finale**

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The weather is unusual when I wake in the morning and a strange feeling settles in my body, to keep company with the sharp hunger pangs that were already present. Untangling myself from Kadaj's body, I wander barefoot out into the front yard.

The sky is overcast with a wicked violet hue splashed across the horizon, the wind blowing mercilessly. It's almost as if nature is trying to get my attention and tell me something important and I just needed to stop and listen to it.

The screen door slams up at the house and I turn around to see Kadaj stalking towards me in an angry manner. I can see Yazoo and Loz standing up on the porch watching us. Kadaj grabs my hand and pulls me out of earshot where it would be impossible to eavesdrop from the distance.

"They think we don't have anything between us, that's what I told them. And they think I hate your guts as always."

"Is your brother still pissed off?" I question, glancing back at Yazoo. He was leaning over the railing, a frown set deep on his face. Almost as if he was contemplating killing me himself.

"He'll get over it, like he always does," Kadaj answers, sitting and pulling me down next to him. He runs his finger through mine and lays back in the field, throwing an arm over his eyes. I crouch down next to him, enjoying the rare peace that had overtaken us.

"Sky 's gonna be on fire soon." I smile softly at him, wondering where he came up with this stuff.

It wasn't like him to be this quiet and calm near me, as he was usually either yelling at me, threatening me, or shoving his tongue down my throat. I kept thinking to myself that I could die right now and not really give two shits. But all good things must come to an end sometime.

The peacefulness of the field is suddenly interrupted by the loud roar of a machine and the sound of heavy blades chopping at the air. Kadaj and I look up at the very same time and I know we both see it and it's not just an illusion conjured forth from my mind to haunt me.

My helicopter is hovering, inches above the ground, and I can see Tseng behind the controls, a determined glare set on his features. Elena is hanging out the cockpit door, her hand extended in my direction. They're finally here to rescue me!

I give one last squeeze to the fingers interlaced with my own and stand, dropping Kadaj's hand back to his lap. "Reno." His voice causes me to look back and his face is pained. "Don't. I don't want to kill you. They're expecting me to kill you if you run." His voice is so sweet and pleading that I almost consider sitting back down.

"It's been fun," I reply momentarily, allowing my fingers to brush over his bangs, and set off at a jog across the field. I hear a low oath behind me and I begin to sprint, leaping over rocks that might trip me.

"Reno, hurry!" Elena's voice is frantic and I see her fingers head south for the holster at her side. I crane my head over my shoulder and see Kadaj gaining one me fast, the double blades of Souba glinting dangerously in the sun. Yazoo and Loz have noticed my escape as well for they were heading this way fast.

I turn back just in time to see Elena aim her automatic pistol at a spot behind me and fire off three rounds. My stomach drops and my feet skid to an immediate halt. Elena is a perfect marksman and has never missed a moving target.

I turn slowly and notice a flash of silver hidden amongst the golden wheat. My feet are on auto-pilot as I feel bile rise in my throat. Oh god. My knees hit the dirt next to Kadaj with a heavy thud and I pull his head into my lap. His breathing is harsh and unsteady and three perfect bullet holes mar his body. Was this really happening? And why the _fuck_ did I still care?!

His fingers are bloody, a sharp contrast to his pale skin, where he clutched at a wound over his chest. I feel my eyes well up with tears and I bend low to press my lips to his forehead. A strong breeze ripples across the tops of the wheat and entangles red and silver together; the way it's supposed to be.

"There's so many things I want to say right now but I can't find the best words to tell you," I murmur against his head.

"Then…just settle for I…love you," he gasps out, moaning a bit in pain.

I smile sadly and tilt his chin, forcing him to look back at me. "I don't love you, Kadaj." My lips descend on his and the tears come faster now that I can feel him gasp for air around my mouth, but still return my slow, tender kiss. It seems a cruel thing to say to a dying man but, even now, I couldn't allow him to see me weak at the end. He would have wanted it that way and I know, inside, he knows that I never meant a word of that and everything I felt with him was more than enough. I brush the hair away from his face when I feel an arm literally haul me away and begin dragging me to the chopper.

"What the hell, Reno, we've got to get you out of here!" Elena yells in my ear. I barely pay heed to her words as I stretch out my arm and feel my fingers just barely brush against his. I'm fighting her every step of the way and I hear her curse angrily as she shoves me into the cockpit and clambers in after me.

I haul myself up from the floor and race to the front, where I can see Yazoo and Loz bending over their brother. It's only until Tseng has us high in the sky and heading back home that I collapse into the copilot seat and stare unseeingly out the glass, lukewarm tears flowing gently from my eyes.

The sky is alit with brilliant oranges and reds and it looks as every bit on fire that Kadaj claimed it to be.

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Kadaj's POV

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Thinking about him is the only thing keeping my mind from the pain. Loz is bawling like the great baby he is a few feet from me and Yazoo just kneels over me, frowning solemnly. My mind is quiet, surprisingly so; filled with images and memories of Reno.

His last words ring in my ears and I knew from the moment they spilled out of his mouth, they were lies. I knew he was only saying he didn't love me to bring himself back up and I allow him that. I had hurt him too much all along.

It surprises me, even now, that through all that -what was it, a week?- that I actually felt something towards Reno. I wouldn't allow myself to say I loved him back because I'm just not that way but he made me think about a lot of things and I maybe would have even tried turning my life around at one time. But it's all for nothing now.

So this is my great end? Poor mother, her prodigy Sephiroth never got his time to shine again. And like the curtains at the closing of a play, my eyes drift shut and my world suddenly becomes very dark.

'_Mother, I think I've finally found someone who rivals you in my heart.'_

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**-This is the last time I'll abandon you**

**And this is the last time I'll forget you**

**I wish I could-**

**--Muse**

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**Author's Note: So, it didn't end happily and if any of you really expected that, well shame on you. Haha, just kidding. It seems more realistic this way I think. So, there's the finale. I've discovered a lot of things while writing this and that is it is not as easy to rekindle the drive to write as it was in the beginning of the story. And I also need to seriously stay on top of replying to my reviewers. Oops, my good.**

**Mask of Mirage**


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